Traditions
by Gwenhwyfar1984
Summary: In an attempt to celebrate Christmas, Castiel accidentally angers Meg.


"You want to what?" Meg asked. "No. It's not going to happen."

"Meg...please?" Cas asked, turning over to face her.

"I'm a demon, Cas. Demon. Demons don't...do that."

"You're not an ordinary demon. You're different."

Meg crossed her arms looked away. "I'm not that different."

"All right," Castiel replied quietly.

He truly looked disappointed and it caused a strange stab of something in her chest.

"Look, why is this so important to you?" Meg asked.

"It would make me happy," he replied simply.

Meg shifted, climbing on top of him and leaning down to kiss his chest. "I can make you happy. Without any need for all of...that."

He didn't respond and just looked at her with fond exasperation.

"Fine," Meg sighed. "We'll...do...that."

Castiel grinned and placed his hands on her hips. She smirked, but he gently shifted her off of him and got up.

"Wait, now?" she cried.

"Yes. We must go before everything is sold out."

"You know, we can just take it. They'd never catch us," Meg said, leaning against the cart as they slowly moved through the aisles of the store.

"You are a reformed demon so we pay," Castiel replied. He stopped in front of a display. "Now, multiple colors or a single color?"

Meg looked at the shelves of Christmas lights with a frown. "I honestly don't care."

Castiel shrugged and grabbed several packs of multi-colored lights. He then moved on to garlands and Meg wandered off, bored. In the clothing section, she found a sexy red lingerie set for herself and a hilarious sweater for Cas. It had small angels on it and the words 'Every time a bell rings an angel gets its wings.'

Returning to Cas, she saw him examining a display of angel ornaments. "Find anybody you recognize?"

He frowned. "This is not what angels true forms look like."

"Wouldn't know," Meg replied. Demons could not see angelic true forms without a lot of pain and death. They could sense angelic energy, and sometimes see a faint glow, but that was all. Angels, on the other hand, could see demonic true forms completely. It hadn't been a problem until she'd started dating Cas. He kept calling her beautiful, and he didn't just mean her meat suit.

He gestured down to the cart. "I think I have all of the traditional items needed."

"Forgot the goat," Meg quipped.

"Goat?"

"Forget it." She sighed. "Look, are you done? Can we go?"

"I just want this to be a good Christmas. Traditions are important."

She felt her irritation flare. "Who decides what's good or traditional? Those stupid movies you've been watching? Hate to break it to you, but they're fake, Cas."

"Why are you angry?" Cas asked.

She looked down at the boxes of lights, the yards of garlands, the cheap fake tree, and ornaments. "Because this is stupid."

Before he could reply, she teleported away.

She returned to the bunker and tossed her stolen merchandise onto her desk. A few minuted later she felt Cas return. He spoke in low tones to the Winchesters, but she didn't try to hear what he was saying.

Later, there was a quiet knock on her door.

"Go away," she replied, turning the page of her magazine so hard it tore.

"Meg, please?" Cas asked.

She got up and threw open the door, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow.

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Will you come with me?"

"I'm currently thinking of fifty different ways I can gut you."

"Only fifty?"

She couldn't help but smile at that. "Where?"

"It's a surprise."

Rolling her eyes, Meg reluctantly allowed him to place his hand on her shoulder and teleport them away. Immediately she was hit with a blast of ice-cold wind.

It was night, and the sky was clear and full of stars. Faintly, she could see the aurora. Up ahead were lights and the sound of happy people. They headed towards it and were soon surrounded by people engaging in Christmas activities and fun. Snow crunched underfoot and coated the trees. Lights were up everywhere. In the center of the square was a large straw goat tied with red ribbons.

Listening to the people around her, she realized they were no longer in the United States, and the language was familiar.

"We're in Sweden?" she asked Cas, surprised.

"Yes. Is...is this okay?" he replied hesitantly.

Meg walked over to a nearby shop and looked inside. It was a bakery and she could smell the Lussekatter. "How did you know?"

"Your comment about the goat. I had Sam research any old traditions about Christmas goats."

"I predate Christmas," she replied.

"I thought so. I'm sorry for...for being overenthusiastic. I just wanted our first holiday to be right. Sam helped me realize that I was going about it wrong. First for only thinking of United States traditions, and then for not talking to you about it."

"I honestly don't care about any of it."

"Okay," he replied and wandered over to examine an elaborate toy train display.

Meg sighed and went into the bakery, buying two Lussekatter. They were warm and flavorful. Next, she went into a bar and bought Glögg. The alcohol would do nothing, but the spices were familiar to her.

Cas was on a bench eating a small bowl of Risgrynsgröt

.

"Not too moleculey?" she asked, joining him. As an angel, he had trouble with most food because he was able to taste every individual molecule. Because of that, he preferred more bland, simple foods when he indulged.

"No," he replied and took another spoonful. He looked at it thoughtfully and tilted it so she could see. Tucked among the rice porridge was a single almond.

"That's supposed to mean good luck for next year," she explained.

"I fail to see how an almond brings luck."

She shrugged. "Human thinking."

He set his bowl down on the seat and looked at her. "Have you been back since..."

"Since becoming a demon? Only once or twice."

A lot of humans think that demons forget their times as humans. This is a misconception. Some do, but it is willingly. Their human life was crappy so why hold onto it? For others, like Meg, it was because the world changes so much. Twenty-first century Earth was vastly different from Eleventh century Earth. She enjoyed the modern world, but it was uncomfortable to return to where she had lived a normal human life.

"Where are you from?"

"Sigtuna," she replied. "Now called Fornsigtuna."

"Oh. I've never been there." He didn't offer that they visit now, and she was grateful.

She drained her cup and Cas took it from her before she could toss it on the ground, placing it in a nearby trash bin. She rolled her eyes but couldn't help the brief, small smile.

"Are you ready to return home?" Cas asked.

"Yeah. Thanks. There's just one thing I need to do. Be right back."

After taking care of her business, she returned to Cas and grabbed his arm. "We have to go, now."

He stared at her and narrowed his eyes. "What did you do?"

Behind them, there was shouting, yells, and the faint scent of smoke.

"Why do you think I did something?"

When they returned to the Bunker, Cas immediately let go of her. She could sense his disapproval but didn't care.

"How was Sweden?" Sam asked. He was in the library with his laptop and a sandwich.

"Meg burned the Gävle Goat," Cas told him.

"What?"

"You can't prove that," she countered.

"Why?" Sam asked.

"The Old gods must be appeased with a sacrifice?"

Cas' eyes narrowed even further.

"Fine. It's a giant straw goat. What was I supposed to do? Demon, remember? It's begging to be burned. Even the humans cannot resist burning it."

Cas shook his head and she walked up to him, putting her arms around him and kissing his chin. "Thank you for my present."

He just huffed and she grinned.

"Wanna see yours? I stole it just for you..."

* * *

A/N: The Gävle Goat is real and has been burned down many, many times since it was created.

All Sweedish words in this fanfic are courtesy of the internet.


End file.
